This invention relates to apparatus and methods for handling money. It will be described primarily in the context of coin handling, but the techniques of the invention can also be applied to handling other forms of currency, and in particular banknotes.
Coin or banknote validation apparatus is typically provided for integration into vending, beverage, ticket or other money actuated machinery. Such machinery includes an interface for connection to the validation apparatus, to enable the apparatus to indicate when the necessary money has been received so as to actuate the desired goods or services. Several interfaces are known. Some vending machines have relatively sophisticated processors, and use correspondingly sophisticated interfaces which can carry communications signalling of a range of data. On the other hand, many vending machines use a less sophisticated electromechanical interface.
In such an interface, typically, a plug or socket is provided for connection to the validation apparatus. The connector has a separate terminal for each different price available on the apparatus. There may, for example, be one price line, four price lines, or ten price lines. Each different type of article to be sold by the machine is uniquely associated with a button to be pressed by the user to order that item. Pressing the button changes the state of one of the price lines, with which the button is uniquely associated.
Accordingly, on sensing the price line which has been depressed by the user, the validation apparatus will await the insertion of the necessary coinage and then signal back through the interface when the necessary coinage has been deposited, by connecting the price line concerned to a common line also appearing at a terminal of the connector. The vending machine is then able, from the common line and the price line, to determine that the necessary coinage has been deposited for the selected item which is then dispensed.
Inherent in such a system is a limitation on the number of different prices which can be applied, and this in turn limits the number of different types of goods or services which can be supplied by the apparatus. These limitations could, of course, be avoided by the use of a different interface. However, the present invention is intended to provide a relatively simple modification of the existing electro-mechanical interface, to permit a greater number of possible goods or services to be used than the number of price lines provided in the interface.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a method of operating a money validator connected to a money-actuated machine through an interface carrying a plurality of price lines, comprising the steps of sensing said price lines and actuating one of said lines when sufficient money has been deposited in the validator; wherein the validator is arranged to detect at least two combinations each comprising the actuation of at least two different said price lines, and to respond differently to said combinations.
Thus, more goods can be selected than the number of lines. The vending machine needs to understand what has been selected. Thus, in one aspect, the present invention provides an interface circuit for a money actuated machine for connection to a money validator, said machine comprising a plurality of user-actuated selection buttons connected to corresponding price lines and means for dispensing a selected item or service in response to a signal from said money validator, comprising means for decoding at least two combinations each comprising the actuation of at least two different said price lines, and actuating said dispensing means differently in response to said combinations. By decoding combinations of buttons pressed, the vending machine needs only wait an actuation signal from the validator.
In an alternative aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a money validator connected to a money-actuated machine through an interface carrying a plurality of price lines, comprising the steps of sensing said price lines and actuating one of said lines when sufficient money has been deposited in the validator; wherein the validator is arranged to signal a greater number of selections than the number of said price lines, by actuating one of said price lines in combination with a further line normally usable for a different purpose. To receive the signals from the validator, this aspect further provides an interface circuit for a money actuated machine for connection to a money validator, said machine comprising a plurality of user-actuated selection buttons connected to corresponding price lines and means for dispensing a selected item or service in response to a signal from said money validator, comprising means for detecting which of a plurality of combinations of one of said price lines, in combination with a further line normally usable for a different purpose, is present. Thus, an un-used relay line (such as a credit or exact change relay line) can be used to increase the range of selections signalled to the vending machine.
Other aspects and preferred embodiment of the invention are as disclosed in the accompanying specification and claims, with advantages which will be apparent hereafter.